Rhododendron plant named &#39;HOMLEE&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Rhododendron  cultivar named ‘HOMLEE’ is disclosed, characterized by distinctive fuchsia pink, semi-double flowers. Plant form is distinctively upright, with branches occurring at acute angles. Plants bloom Spring, Summer and Fall. The new cultivar is a  Rhododendron , suitable for ornamental garden purposes.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Rhododendron hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘HOMLEE’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program by theinventor. This new variety, hereinafter referred to as ‘HOMLEE’, wasdiscovered as a seedling resulting from a pollination of Rhododendron‘Princess Ruth’, unpatented with an unnamed, unpatented Rhododendronoldhamii by the inventor, Robert Edward Lee, in Independence, La., at aresearch nursery.

After identifying the new variety as a potentially interestingselection, the inventor first organized propagation of ‘HOMLEE’ byvegetative cuttings during 2004 at the same commercial nursery inIndependence, La. The inventor continued confidential, controlledtesting and propagation, assessing stability of the uniquecharacteristics of this variety. Multiple generations have beenreproduced and have shown that the unique features of this cultivar arestable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘HOMLEE’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘HOMLEE’ These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘HOMLEE’ as a new and distinct Rhododendron cultivar:

1. Unique Spring, Summer and Fall blooming

2. Deep, bright pink flower

3. Semi double flowers

4. Easily propagated with semi-hardwood cuttings in late spring throughsummer

5. Vigorous growth under normal fertilization and moisture conditions

6. Upright growth nature

7. Good specimen plant

8. Good container plant

9. Hardy to USDA Zone 7

10. Attracts butterflies

COMPARISON TO PARENT VARIETY

‘HOMLEE’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to the seedparent variety Rhododendron hybrid ‘Princess Ruth’ unpatented. Plants ofthe new cultivar ‘HOMLEE’ however, produce flowers that are brighterpink in coloration, than the seed parent variety. Additionally, planthabit is overall more uprgith in the new variety, than the parent.

‘HOMLEE’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to the pollenparent variety Rhododendron oldhamii unpatented. Plants of the newcultivar ‘HOMLEE’ however, produce flowers that are fuchsia pink incoloration, compared more red toned flowers of the pollen parent.Additionally, flowers of the new variety are typically double, whereasthe pollen parent produces single flowers. Plant structure of the newvariety is highly compact and upright, with branches arising at acuteangles. The pollen parent plant is open and rangy.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘HOMLEE’ can be compared to the commercial variety Rhododendron hybrid‘Red Slippers’, unpatented. Plants of the new cultivar ‘HOMLEE’ aresimilar to plants of ‘Red Slippers’ in most horticulturalcharacteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘HOMLEE’ produceflowers that are fuchsia pink in coloration, compared more red tonedflowers of this comparator. Additionally, plant formation of ‘HOMLEE’ isdistinctly upright, whereas the plant habit of ‘Red Slippers’ ismounding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a closeup of typical flowers of the new variety. FIG. 2 shows a plant of‘HOMLEE’ grown outdoors in Alabama. The plant is approximately 2 yearsold, and is shown in a three gallon container. The photographs weretaken using conventional techniques and although colors may appeardifferent from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurateas possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘HOMLEE’ plants grown outdoors in Loxley, Ala.Plants are approximately 3 years old, in a 3 gallon nursery container.Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical planttypes.

-   Botanical classification: Rhododendron hybrid ‘HOMLEE’-   Propagation: Typically by semi-hardwood cuttings in Spring and    Summer.    -   -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous young roots, well branched.            Colored near RHS Grey-Brown 199A.-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—Compact, globular shrub.        -   Height.—Approximately 43 cm to top of foliar and flowering            plane.        -   Plant spread.—Approximately 45 cm.        -   Branching characteristics.—Well branched, approximately 6            primary branches from the center of the plant. Branches            occur at approximately 45° angles. Each primary branch has 4            to 8 lateral branches.        -   Primary branches.—.        -   Length of primary branches.—Average 32 cm.        -   Diameter of primary branches.—Approximately 0.6 cm.        -   Primary branch strength.—Very strong, difficult to break.        -   Primary branch color.—Near RHS Greyed-Orange 164A, with age,            covered with a thin bark like layer colored near Brown 200B.        -   Primary branch texture.—Young growth hirsute, hairs,            approximately 0.15 cm long, colored near Yellow-Green 152C.            Older growth scaly, hirsute. Hairs colored near White 155D.        -   Lateral branches.—.        -   Number of lateral branches.—Approximately 4 to 10 per            primary branch.        -   Length of lateral branches.—Average 9 cm.        -   Diameter of lateral branches.—Average 0.4 cm.        -   Lateral branch strength.—Very strong, flexible.        -   Lateral branch color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green N144A, flushed            with Greyed-Orange 165B.        -   Lateral branch texture.—Hirsute.        -   Internode length.—Average 1.2 cm.        -   Age of plant described.—Approximately 2 years.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf.—Type: Simple Arrangement: Alternate Average Length:            Approximately 4.1 cm. Average Width: Approximately 1.7 cm.            Shape of blade: Broad elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Broad            attenuate. Attachment: Stalked Margin: Entire. Texture of            top surface: Pubescent: Hairs appressed. Texture of bottom            surface: Pubescent. More hairs present along main vein and            margin. Color: Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 137B            Young foliage under side: Near RHS Green 138A Mature foliage            upper side: Near RHS Green 137A, but darker. Mature foliage            under side: Near RHS Green 138A. Venation: Type: Pinnate.            Venation color upper side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C            Venation color under side: Near RHS Yellow-Green N144A            Petiole: Length: About 0.9 cm. Diameter: About 0.25 cm            Color: Upper Surface: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C Lower            Surface: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C-   Flower:    -   -   Bloom period.—Plants flower in the Spring, then begin            intermittent flowering cycles in late Spring/Summer through            Fall.        -   Flower.—        -   Arrangement.—Axillary clusters of perfect, open funnel            shaped individual flowers. Typically 4 to 10 flowers per            cluster.        -   Inflorescence.—Height: Average 12.0 cm. Diameter: Average            14.0 cm.        -   Peduncle.—Length: Average 1.9 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm. Color:            Near RHS Yellow-Green N144A, Texture: Densely pubescent.            Aspect: Straight to very slightly curved. Angle of            attachment, approximately 35° angle from stem.        -   Flowers.—Length: Average 4.8 cm. Diameter: Average 7.1 cm.            Facing direction: Outwardly and upwardly facing. Persistent            or self-cleaning: Petals self-cleaning Fragrance: None.        -   Tube.—Tube length: Approximately 1.7 cm Tube width a widest            point: Approximately 1.9 cm Tube width and narrowest point:            Approximately 0.9 cm.        -   Petals.—Unfused petal segments: Length: Approximately            2.7 cm. Width: Approximately 2.8 cm Apex: Blunt, rounded            with shallow, irregular lobes Shape of petal: Unfused            portion, obovate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal Arrangement:            Approximately ⅓ fused from base. Petal Number: 5 Petal            Texture: Smooth        -   Color.—Upper surface at first opening: Near RHS Red 53B.            Under surface at first opening: Near RHS Red 53D Inner            surface at maturity: Near RHS Red-Purple 61B Outer surface            at maturity: Near RHS Red-Purple 60D. Upper surface at            fading: Near RHS Red-Purple 60D. Under surface at fading:            Near RHS Red-Purple 60D.        -   Bud.—Shape: Elliptic Length: 3.1 cm Diameter: 1.2 cm Color:            Near RHS Red 53A.        -   Calyx/sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5 sepals Shape: Narrow            deltate Length: 0.8 cm Width: 0.3 cm Apex: Acute Base: Fused            Margin: Entire Texture: Highly pubescent Color: Inner            Surface: Near RHS Green 137A Outer Surface: Near RHS Green            137A.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Number: 10 Length: 3.4 cm Width: 0.1 cm Color: Near            RHS Red-Purple 58A Anthers: Length: Approximately 0.3 cm            Color: Near RHS Red 53A Pollen: Scant, colored near            Greyed-Orange 164D.        -   Pistil.—Number: 1 Length: 4.8 cm. Style: Length: 4.4 cm.            Color: Near RHS Red-Purple 58A Stigma: Globular, colored            near Red-Purple 60C Ovary: Sericeous texture. Approximately            0.3 cm in diameter. Colored near Red-Purple 60D.-   Other characteristics:    -   -   Disease and pest resistance.—Not observed to be susceptible            nor resistant to normal diseases and pests of Rhododendron            hybrid.        -   Temperature tolerance.—USDA Zone 6.        -   Fruit/seed production.—Not observed to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Rhododendron plantnamed ‘HOMLEE’ as herein illustrated and described.